2009 'Top Notch' Photo Contest

Top Top Notch: Waves, camera, action

Chris Pate of Holmes Beach won the grand prize in The Islander's annual Top Notch contest with his photograph of a wave-skater at White Avenue beach. Pate won $100 from the newspaper, plus gifts from Islander advertisers, including a $50 gift certificate from the Chiles Restaurants Group, a $50 certificate for Hair's to You Salon, a $25 certificate from Mister Roberts Resortwear, a $10 certificate for Minnie's Beach Cafe and the framing of the winning photo by Karly Carlson Custom Framing. The weekly winners received Islander "more-than-a-mullet wrapper" T-shirts and front-page placement of their photos. Next week, The Islander's honorable mentions in the popular contest.

Week Four: Mmm, hmm

Drinda Procter of Holmes Beach is this week's winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. The entry - an image of a contemplative cat and an unresponsive fish taken on Procter's deck in May - will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Week Four: Soft landing

Ann Howard of Bradenton is the Week 4 winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. The entry - a shot of a butterfly alighting on a flower - will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Week Three: 1, 2, 3, jump...

Becky Cosgrove of Bradenton is the Week 3 winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Frick's entry ? a striking red, white and blue-themed photograph taken at New Pass near Mote Marine ? will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Top Notch, Week Two: Stars and stripes salute

Penny Frick of Bradenton is this week's winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Frick's entry ? a striking red, white and blue-themed photograph taken at New Pass near Mote Marine ? will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Top Notch, Week One: A great blue and golden sky

Mark Kracker of Bradenton won the first week in The Islander’s Top Notch photography contest. For his photograph of a great blue heron in Bradenton Beach, Kracker won an Islander “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirt and is the first entrant in the grand prize contest for a $100 cash prize and a collection of prizes from local merchants.

If you’ve got a great snapshot, we’ve
got a contest you could win.

The Islander Top Notch
photo contest will begin publishing weekly winning
photos on June 24. Six weekly winning pictures will be featured on the
cover of The Islander and one photo will be a grand prize winner with
$100 cash prize from The Islander and other prizes and gift certificates
from local merchants. Weekly winners will receive a “More Than a Mullet Wrapper” Islander
T-shirt.

The
weekly deadline is noon Friday throughout the contest
with the first deadline June 19.

Top Notch judging begins with a selection of pictures that may include
family, landscapes and scenics, candid snapshots, action,
holidays, humor and animal pictures. Nothing is overlooked, including
great kid pics, sentimental moments and moments of personal triumph.

Digital contest entries should be submitted in
the original JPG format via e-mail to topnotch@islander.org
or on a disc.

Only photo cropping is allowed. No retouching,
enhancements or computer manipulation is allowed on
digital or print photos.

And while digital entries are encouraged,
you may send or deliver your favorite prints weekly
to Top Notch Contest Editor, The Islander, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes
Beach FL 34217.

Complete rules and entry forms for the contest are published
below. Please attach a photo contest label to each
photo or CD you submit.

E-mail entrants are required
to submit the label information in the e-mail text
and the signature is waived, one photo attachment per e-mail.

There is no limit
to the number of weekly entries. Entries need not be
repeated weekly, as any photos preferred by the judges but not selected
are moved forward each week of the contest.

Photos without entry forms will be disqualified. Additional labels
are available at the newspaper office or they may be
copied.

How to enter

Please attach to photo and mail or deliver to The Islander, 5404 Marina Dr., Holmes Beach FL 34217. Please include all form information with digital photographs sent by e-mail in the message text and preferably the contestants last name on the "subject" line and send to:.topnotch@islander.org Please note on envelopes or subject line "Attention Top Notch Photo Contest."

NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
PHONE NO.
DATE PHOTO WAS TAKEN:
LOCATION PHOTO WAS TAKEN:
I have read the contest rules and affirm that this entry is in compliance with them.
SIGNATURE OF ENTRANT

'Top Notch Photo Contest Rules'

The Islander Newspaper Top Notch Photo Contest is strictly for amateur
photographers. Amateur photographers are those who
derive less than 5 percent of their income from photography.

Black-and-white and color photographs taken after Jan. 1, 2008, are
eligible. Photos previously published (in any format/media)
or entered in any Islander or other competition are not eligible.

Photographs
may be taken with any make of camera. No retouching
or other alteration (except cropping) is permitted
of negatives, prints or electronic photos; no composite pictures or
multiple print images will be accepted. Digital photos must be submitted
in their original JPG file format (via e-mail or CD).
Prints from digital or film are accepted. Slide (transparency)
photos are not accepted.

Entrant’s name, address and phone number
must be written clearly on the contest label and
affixed to the back of each print submitted, or listed similarly in
the e-mail message along with the digital photo attachment.
One e-mail per photo submission. E-mail digital entries
to topnotch@islander.org. Mail print entries to The Islander Top Notch
Photo Contest, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217.

Entrants by
their entry agree that The Islander may publish their
pictures for local promotion. Entrants must be able to furnish the
original negative or original digital image if requested by the contest
editor. All photos submitted become the property
of The Islander. Photos will not be returned. The
Islander and contest sponsors assume no responsibility
for submitted negatives, CDs or photo prints.
Entrant must know and submit the name and address
of any recognizable persons appearing in the picture.
Names must be enclosed/attached with the entry.

Employees
of The Islander and their immediate family members
are not eligible to enter the contest.

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